To determine these awards, a patient survey was conducted via confidential telephone interviews to obtain the opinions of Martha Jefferson Hospital patients. The patient survey assessed patient perceptions of the overall care they received. The research findings were then presented to the hospital to use in continuous improvement and enhancement of employee and patient satisfaction.

The 5-Star award designation is given annually to healthcare facilities that score in the top 10 percent (i.e., at or above the 90th percentile) of PRC's national client database for the prior calendar year. It is based on the percentage of hospital patients who rate the facility "excellent" for the Overall Quality of Care question. The 4-Star Award designation is given annually to any healthcare facility that scores in the top 25 percent of PRC's national client database for the prior calendar year.

PRC is a nationally-known healthcare marketing research company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The company is in its 30th year of providing marketing research for hospitals across the United States. Company information can be found on their corporate website, www.PRConline.com.